Latin for Lawyers

L ATIN FOR L AWYERS

CAUSA [L. cause, reason, contention, claim; a law suit; a dispute] Cause, purpose, also lawsuit or case; used with other words or phrases to denote an event or precipitating cause. (See the following listings.) See CAUSE CAUSA BELLI A precipitating cause of war or hostilities. See BELLIGERENT; BELLUM CAUSA LATET, VIS EST NOTISSIMA The cause is unknown, but the effect is there to see. CAUSA MORTIS In fear, anticipation or contemplation of approaching or imminent death; e.g., a gift causa mortis . See DONATIO CAUSA MORTIS, GIFT CAUSA MORTIS CAUSA PROXIMA Proximate cause; the cause which is most closely or immediately related to an event; the precipitating cause; the cause which imposes legal liability. See PROXIMATE (CAUSE) CAUSA REMOTA A remote cause; a cause which may contribute to an event, but which com bines or is influenced by other, more immediate causes. CAUSA SINE QUA NON Literally, not without this cause; the indispensible cause; the cause without which this event would not have occurred; the “but for” cause used in analy sis of causation in negligence cases. CAUSA TURPIS [L. causa + turpis / deformed, morally foul, disgraceful] Motivated by a base or evil purpose; an evil cause. CAUSE [L. causa / cause, reason, motive] Anything that brings on an effect or result. A project or enterprise which is vigorously pursued and supported. A basis for an action at law or equity. A matter or issue requiring resolution. A cause of action is all the matter sup porting a plaintiff's claim in an action or proceeding. Lawyers speak of actual cause, intervening cause, proximate cause, superseding cause, probable cause, actual cause, reasonable cause, remote cause, etc. All of these phrases use the word cause in its prime meaning: i.e., anything that produces a result or brings about an event.

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